Three-car crash near Mill Valley offramp injures Novato man

A three-vehicle crash near the Corte Madera/Mill Valley line injured a Novato man and closed two freeway lanes during the morning commute, police said.

The crash occurred at about 8:40 a.m. on southbound Highway 101 just south of Casa Buena Drive, the California Highway Patrol reported. The CHP said a Ford Ranger rear-ended a Nissan pickup truck that was slowed for traffic at the East Blithedale Avenue exit.

The Nissan then careened across the southbound lanes, hit the center divider and struck a Honda Civic, said CHP Officer Eric Hohmeister. All the cars sustained major damage.

The driver of the Nissan, 55-year-old George Matthews of Novato, was taken to Marin General Hospital for treatment of neck pain.

The driver of the Ford, 43-year-old David Wreden of Novato, was not injured, nor was the driver of the Honda, 24-year-old Jose Esaul Magana-Diaz of Sacramento.

Two of the southbound lanes were closed for about 40 minutes after the crash.